This invention relates to machine-assisted exercising.
Exercising is frequently done with the help of an exercise machine that resists motion of the exerciser""s arms or legs.
Some machines, such as rowing machines and cycling machines, resistive forces that are small enough to permit aerobic exercising over a longer period of, say, 20 to 40 minutes.
Other machines, such as weight machines, offer higher resistive forces for so-called resistance exercising that entails fewer repetitions.
Some exercise machines use wind drag created by a fan to provide the resistance.
In general, in one aspect, the invention features an exercise machine in which a fan has a rotor that generates drag by causing air to move in response to exercising by a user. A deflection structure deflects air that the rotor has moved and is adjustable to control the amount of drag generated by the rotor.
Implementations of the invention may include one or more of the following features. The rotor moves and the deflection structure remains stationary. The deflection structure has deflection surfaces, e.g., curved vanes, at least one of which is adjustable relative to the path of air that the rotor has moved. Each of the deflection surfaces is independently rotatable from an open position to a closed position.
The deflection structure and the rotor are located at different positions along an axis of the rotor. An air directing surface is positioned to deflect air from the deflection structure toward the fan rotor. A closed housing surrounds the rotor and the deflection structure.
In general, in another aspect of the invention an outer dimension of the fan rotor and an inner dimension of the housing define a cylindrical chamber, and the fan rotor vanes direct air from inside the rotor to the cylindrical chamber and cause swirling of the air in the chamber.
In general, in another aspect, the invention features an exercise machine that has a fan that generates drag by causing air motion, a beam, a carriage, and a seat. The carriage rides back and forth along the beam and is coupled to drive the fan in response to a force applied by a user exercising. The fan is driven when the carriage is riding in one direction along the beam and is undriven when the carriage is riding in the other direction along the beam. A seat is configured to be movable to different positions along the beam relative to the carriage and to different orientations relative to the carriage.
Among the advantages of the invention may be one or more of the following. The wind resistance provided by the fan may be adjusted to provide different exercise experiences. Different exercise modes may be achieved by rearranging the seat relative to the moving carriage, adjusting the seat angle, and adjusting the handle height. In the case of strength training, wind resistance eliminates the need for hundreds of pounds of weight. The force experienced by the user is determined by the user effort. This means the muscles can be appropriately stressed through the entire range of motion. With commonly used weight-lifting equipment, the muscles may be stressed at the proper level only at the place in the exercise motion where the muscles are the weakest.
Other advantages and features will become apparent from the following description and from the claims.